


[Commission] Opposite Sides; Same Coin

by Uncreativity



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gang World, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Begging, Blood and Violence, Bolin Supremacy, But It's Still There, Cunnilingus, Daddy Kink, Danger, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Feelings, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Gangs, Gay girls being gay, Gun Violence, I Hope It Doesn't Show, I did my best on the POV, I never write in 3rd person omniscient, Korra and the gang are in gangs, Kya/Lin are in lesbians, Love, Major Character Injury, Mako (Avatar) is Bad at Feelings, More plot than porn, Neck Kissing, Not as much filth, POV Third Person Omniscient, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Red Monsoon Triad, Rimming, Rough Kissing, Smut, Street fighting, Tattoos, Triple Threat Triad, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence, spirituality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:07:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29970963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uncreativity/pseuds/Uncreativity
Summary: The turf war has been a large problem between the Red Monsoon Triad and the Triple Threat Triad, the tensions are higher than they've ever been.Korra should be used to the danger that revolves around her day-to-day life at this point, she's earned her stripes in the gang, but she's not.Korra made a grave mistake- she fell in love and she fellhard.Doesn't help that the woman she loves is exactly the person she can't have.Yeah, she'llneverget used to the danger.TW: Violence & Blood(Korrasami gangster/forbidden lovers)
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 7
Kudos: 49





	[Commission] Opposite Sides; Same Coin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saint_dior](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saint_dior/gifts).



> What is up?
> 
> I am back again! Huge thanks to saint_dior for the ideas displayed in this story, they were a giant help in aiding me to write this, I'm a sucker for some forbidden love so excuse how emotional the story gets at points, I was really feeling some type of way as I wrote this.
> 
> If you wanna be pals... follow my socials!  
> Twitter: @XUncreativityX  
> Tiktok: @kamelisdumb  
> I'm super friendly and will send pictures of Wendy Williams to express my emotions- we can chat and I'll talk about my upcoming projects!
> 
> TW: For violence, blood, and a !daddykink, I get some of those things aren't people's fortes- so, I've got other works than this that don't incorporate those triggers. Also, this is my first time writing in 3rd Person Omniscient- I hope it's not very noticeable, It's very different than what I'm used to, but again, I try my absolute best in whatever I write and I hope I did the story some justice for saint_dior's wonderful suggestion.
> 
> Once more, leave some comments, kudos, a pick-up line ;) and give saint_dior a big thanks for fueling my pea-sized brain with the knowledge so I could write this story for you folx to appreciate.
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> Enjoy xx

Clack, clack, clack-

The soles of Korra’s boots slapping harshly against the ground fit with her rapid pumping arms and agile legs brought her and Bolin through the street, the two turning into the small alleyway and away from the brutality succeeding the pair. They each panted in unison, the smell of the gunpowder and loud shots echoed in the air, making them each duck and forcing their legs to move quicker- the two were sprinting away from the violence that had erupted between a patrol from the Red Monsoon Triad and a sneaky convey led by the Triple Threats Triad. The Triple Threats tended to overstep their boundaries and head into territory that wasn’t theirs. Shots were fired instantly and though Korra and Bolin enjoyed violence from time-to-time, they knew this was a fight they didn’t want to get involved in. Tensions had been high between the rival gangs for the past few months, which is something that unnerved both Korra and Bolin.

Bolin was scared because he knew the life of organized crime wasn’t one for him, but, ever since his brother left the Red Monsoon to cross over to the Triple Threats, he had stayed in the gang to spite his sibling. He still feared heavily that one of these days he’d end up in a shoot-out with his brother and would be forced to make a very pivotal decision.

Well, Korra was petrified because she was head-over-heels in love with a woman from the opposing side, someone she shouldn’t- _couldn’t_ love.

She did love Asami though, more than she loved herself, more than she ever cared for anything in the world- but, she couldn’t tell anyone, not even the man who rang along beside her as they escaped into the outskirts of Republic City, the sounds of gunfire and shouts of pain waning in their ears as they edged further and further away. Korra and Bolin panted as they reached the marketplace sector of the city, they must’ve run almost 2 miles to get over onto this side of town, but, Korra and Bolin knew that when running away from a firefight the coast wasn’t completely clear until they could no longer hear the spark of the gunfire.

“You okay? Are you hit?” Bolin asked Korra, their breaths still coming out heavy as they each leaned against the wall of an abandoned building. 

The marketplace was in full swing this evening, vendors promoted their various fruits and vegetables as tailors, and designers flagged down any potential patronage to sell their clothes to.

“No, I’m alright Bo- what about you?” Korra replied, sighing in relief and leaning off the side of the building to stretch her arms above her head.

Korra smoothed down the material to her double-layered maroon henley, the dark blue bandana secured around her upper bicep an indication of her involvement in the Red Monsoon, Bolin had a matching bandana around his dark-green pullover, fit with dark-wash jeans and sneakers. She brushed off some of the dirt on her black combat pants, the material slightly baggy and hung low on her hips, but, Korra was packing heat and weapons in most of the pockets of the pants, the shells for her pistol jiggling against each other in her pocket as she tapped Bolin on the arm and subtly pointed at an officer doing a terrible job at being undercover.

Bolin and Korra smoothly removed the bandanas from their arms, tucking the fabric in one of Korra’s pockets and starting their walk down the marketplace, attempting to blend in after being in emanate danger only a few moments prior.

“Yeah, I’m alright-” Bolin paused, his heart still pumping quickly from the adrenaline and fear he felt in the moment. 

“-Those shots-” He continued.

“Came outta nowhere, luckily you and I were patrolling the back of the building, I saw the convey run right through the street, sprayed right into the front of the restaurant, I hope everyone was okay, but it looked grim to me,” Korra replied, hooking her arm in Bolin’s and pretending to giggle softly at something he said.

The officer was tailing them, Korra tapped Bolin on the arm twice to let him know to play along with her actions, and the man complied, hooking an arm around Korra’s waist and laughing along with her. She kept her eyes on the officer, who thankfully couldn’t blend into a crowd to save himself, and after some more acting, fit with giggles and continuing to silently mark the officer’s location- the pair gave him the slip and escaped further up the marketplace. 

Bolin’s arm dropped from Korra’s waist and the woman eyed him, “What’s that face?”

Bolin blushed, knowing his friend could always read him like a book, “I’m tired Korra, you know this life has never been for me,”

Korra breathed out a deep sigh. It was an unspoken thing between the two of them, Korra knew how much Bolin wanted to leave organized crime- the violence was all too much for the man, he wasn’t built for it like his brother Mako was. 

She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, the two continuing to walk the street. “I know you are Bo-” she paused and looked at him, “-and I know why you stay as well,”

He huffed out a breath, really wishing Korra didn’t know him so well as Korra felt the same way.

“Being in Red Monsoon is the only way to keep tabs on Mako, he won’t talk to you otherwise. It’s the only reason why you’re still running with a gang,” Korra spoke softly and Bolin nodded, his head hung as Korra squeezed her arm around his shoulders tighter.

“You aren’t responsible for him-” She tried.

“I am, he’s protected me his entire life and now he’s gone-” He shot back.

“He _left_ Bolin- he left you,” Korra stopped the two of them from walking and made sure to lock eyes with the man, the two on par when it came to their heights.

Korra watched as Bolin’s jaw gritted, his green eyes becoming watery, but he didn’t open his mouth to speak- he knew she was right, they both knew what Korra had said was the truth.

“You _can_ leave Bolin, you know Red Monsoon offers protection for those who aren’t in the lifestyle anymore, you can go, do whatever you want, leave this life that has taken so much from you-” Korra placed both of her hands on his shoulders as Bolin struggled against tears.

“I mean, I’ve thought about-” Korra paused, stopping herself from almost revealing something she shouldn’t have.

The man breathed in deep but his head lifted quickly when Korra’s voice cut off, he frowned.

“You’ve thought about what? _Leaving?_ ” Bolin spoke incredulously, his pitch rising during the comment.

This life wasn’t for anyone, no one should have to choose to live this way. But, some just acclimated better to it. Bolin knew Korra was one of them, she was fierce, loyal, but logical. Bolin marveled at how his friend could hold such staunch devotion towards organized crime, but, the woman had saved his ass more times than he could count when it came to dicey situations. As grim as Bolin knew his thoughts were, the only way he believed Korra would walk away from this lifestyle was in a body bag.

“You? Leaving? I don’t fucking believe it,” Bolin murmured and shook his head.

Korra bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood to keep herself from telling Bolin about Asami. The man knew Asami, they’d pretended to hate each other ever since they’d begun romantically seeing each other, it was safer that way. But, it killed Korra every time she faked a glare at the only woman who made her believe there was more to life than the violence she had chosen to surround herself in.

“It’s just been something on my mind, I’m too young to have my life cut short like this, maybe there’s more out there for me-” Korra spoke and knew what that something more was, in the form of a leggy woman with raven hair and sparkling green eyes.

“You sure you’re alright there Korra? Didn’t hit your head or anything?” Bolin joked while pressing his hand to Korra’s cheek, mimicking the action of her taking her temperature.

“You’re a bit warm-”

“Oh, _fuck_ off-” 

Korra grinned at the quick exchange between the two, she dropped her hands from Bolin’s shoulder as the man put his hand down from the woman’s face, they each stared at each other for a few beats, relishing in the silence.

Korra sighed, “There’s nothing wrong with wanting more,” her words were sincere.

“Yeah, that’s true, I just never knew _you_ believed that,” Bolin replied and bumped shoulders with Korra, the woman smiling and returning the action. 

She didn’t either for the longest time, but dating someone forbidden has made her re-evaluate her life. Korra was excited for a tomorrow, a tomorrow in which she could see Asami, the woman saw herself settling, finding a home, all the domesticity, getting married- things she never believed she’d live long enough to experience. 

Korra wanted to experience them all with Asami.

Her phone vibrated in the pocket of her pants, two short bursts then a longer one at the end. She set the tone custom to one person in her contacts.

_Asami._

Korra tried not to stiffen, but the woman texted her and Korra had the tendency to gain a one-track-mind whenever the circumstances surrounded her girlfriend. She swallowed and gave Bolin a neutral stare, the man smiled back as the pair continued their walk.

She needed an excuse to slip away from him.

“Listen, Bolin, I think I might head east up at the train station- grab my bike and go for a drive, I want to patrol the area, see if the violence has died down, and clear my head for a bit,” Korra spoke and kept her voice steady.

Bolin knew Korra, his eyes stared at her, the action wasn’t out-of-pocket for the woman, she’d done the deed multiple times. He hummed in his throat, a sound of understanding and once again astonished by the woman’s bravery. Korra scanned the lack of skepticism in Bolin’s gaze, the fact she was lying about heading back into the firefight a sure reason why the man didn’t jump at the opportunity to go with her and question her motives.

“Alright, we’ll part by the train station, but be careful going back there, you know Triple Threat stragglers from fights have itchy trigger fingers,” Bolin warned and Korra nodded, not contesting his statement.

The lying was easy for her now. At first, it wasn’t- Bolin knew her so well but Korra crafted lies caked in truth and part of her actual mannerisms her good friend couldn’t detect the deceitfulness. The constant lying almost broke Asami and Korra apart when they first began dating, Asami having the same struggles in lying to her good friends from the Triple Threats, but, they stayed together because nothing had ever felt so right than being in each other’s arms.

Bolin and Korra continued their trek to the train station, the woman waiting for the next train for Bolin to step onto before they parted ways. She fished his blue bandana from the pocket of her pants and watched him board the train, Korra waved as it disappeared down the tracks, sighing to herself. She stood at the station, minimal guilt settling in her chest before she pulled her phone from her pocket, checking the message Asami had sent.

TTA [11:13 PM]

_Please be okay, I heard about the convey today- meet me at Kya and Lin’s place, our usual room. Please be there._

Korra read the message with a frown, she hated when Asami worried, but she knew that’s what their relationship was full of. A dangerous lifestyle they shared and they were each glad the other one was able to survive another day.

Korra [11:17 PM]

_Don’t worry, Bolin and I made it out safe, we were patrolling the back of the building when the trucks came back and we escaped through the alleyways, I’m unharmed._

Asami didn’t even bother texting back as Korra felt her phone vibrating and the ‘TTA’ contact came up.

“Hello?” Korra held the phone to her ear and heard the sob from Asami’s end of the call.

Her heart broke at the desperation in the cries.

“I was so scared-”

“There were casualties Korra- Triple Threat grunts had been talking about the success of the raid-”

“I knew you were there, I just couldn’t _fathom_ the fact of you dying-”

Korra shushed her quietly over the phone, walking the street to get to the parking garage a few minutes from the marketplace to pick up her bike.

“I’m not going anywhere Asami, I promise, I’m okay,” Korra spoke softly.

The silence on the line between the two of them became deafening, Asami not able to speak because of the tears she shed in relief at Korra being alive.

“Just get here as soon as you can, I need to touch you- feel you- I want to be in your arms and know that you’re safe,” Asami spoke solemnly and Korra upped the pace in her walk, wanting to reach the parking garage as soon as possible.

“I’ll be there, just sit tight for me baby, okay?” Korra replied and heard the soft sighs and quiet sniffle from Asami’s end of the call.

They stayed on the phone, Korra keeping the device pressed to her ear as she picked up her pace to her walk, accelerating into a jog, trying to get to Asami as fast as possible, wanting to feel her home in her arms. 

~~~~~

“How long can you two keep this up? The poor girl was crying so hard Kya had to wait in the room with her as she called you, she was so scared you wouldn’t pick up the phone-” Korra watched as the woman spoke feeling the weight of her words.

“-Because she thought you were fucking dead,” Lin, co-owner of the _Misty Palms Oasis Motel_ added before sighing out deeply, watching as Korra entered the motel.

Korra ran a hand through her disheveled hair and felt more guilt creep up in her chest.

“Look- I’ve been here, where you are, the constant danger and worrying, you’re strong Korra but it’s not meant for _anyone_ ,” Lin added, her voice a little softer this time around.

Kya and Lin had opened their doors for the forbidden couple when they realized the two were in opposing gangs. Lin had been in the Red Monsoon some time ago and had to hide her relationship with Kya to keep the woman safe- their motel was Korra and Asami’s safe-haven, a place where their affiliations didn’t matter and they were free to just be in love with one another.

“I know that Lin-”

“ _Do_ you?”

Korra stared slack-jawed at the woman in the lobby of the motel. Her graying hair was pulled back into a low bun as she wore a basic t-shirt and jeans. Lin’s usually stoic face, fit with the wicked scar, was compassionate as she stared into Korra’s eyes. Lin saw a lot of herself in Korra, the recklessness but staunch devotion to the things she loved- she and Kya had developed a good relationship with the couple as they protected them from the madness that went on in their day-to-day lives. Lin feared any of these days would be the one where either Asami or Korra wouldn’t end up so lucky and she wanted to help the pair before it was too late.

“Lin, I’m _fine,_ Bolin and I survived, we’re okay, we can breathe easy tonight,” Korra tried to reason with Lin, but the older woman shook her head.

“Sure, you’re fine tonight and that might be enough for you- but, is it enough for Asami? When will being okay in the moment not be enough for her?” Lin sighed again and slid the room key over towards Korra.

Korra wrapped her fingers around the key and stared back into Lin’s cool eyes.

“This life you two lead it ends in death- you both know it, so why continue to be in it, or at least hide from the members in your gangs that could help you live a little longer?” Lin posed the question and Korra’s jaw clenched.

“You think we haven’t talked about that?” Korra’s voice was incredulous as Lin sucked her teeth, knowing she wasn’t trying to upset the woman.

“You think lying is easy? Hiding the woman I love from the people I want to tell about her to the most?” Korra asked again and Lin’s face became grave.

“You know that I know it’s not easy and it’s why you two need to talk about it, skating around the reality in your situation isn’t healthy-” Lin reached across the counter and held Korra’s hand.

“Time is _not_ on your side, it never has been, talk about it before it’s too late,” Lin continued and Korra let out another sigh, squeezing the older woman’s hand and giving her a tight-lipped smile.

Lin nodded solemnly and released Korra’s hand, nodding down the hallway to the motel rooms as Korra began to walk, “Kiss your girlfriend for spirits sake! She’s been sobbing for the past half-hour!” Lin called loudly down the hallway, and Korra grinned as she approached their room.

Korra stood in front of the usual door and pushed the key into the hole, turning the lock and twisting the knob. Her eyes landed on Asami, who sat at the bed in the center of the room, her face reddened and eyes puffy from crying. She barely had a chance to close the door before Asami was crashing into her, wrapping her arms tightly around Korra’s shoulders and burying her face in her neck.

“I was so _scared_ ,” The desperation in Asami’s words made Korra wrap her arms even tighter around her waist and squeeze, the two standing and breathing deeply together.

Korra took a moment to survey Asami’s face now that she had her in her arms. The woman’s eyes, usually bright green and full of life and mischief were dull, the color darkened and reddened from the crying. She saw the oversized sweater on Asami’s torso, it was her own sweatshirt, her girlfriend admitting she wore the garment because it smelled just like Korra. Korra looked at the regular slimming jeans and canvas sneakers on Asami’s legs, bringing her gaze back up to her face and seeing the fatigue and panicked look in her eyes- it scared the living shit out of Korra how afraid Asami seemed. 

“She was afraid to text, to call, _I_ was the one who made her contact you,” Korra’s head lifted from Asami’s shoulder to stare at Kya, the woman’s kind face and gentle form perched on the bed.

Korra pulled away slightly from her girlfriend, staring at her. Asami was ashamed at the fact, but she had thought for a moment that Korra was killed during the raid today- in a way, not contacting her was not admitting what she thought of as the truth to herself.

“If I called you and you didn’t pick up-” Asami paused, the woman burrowing herself in Korra’s neck again, “I wasn’t strong enough to face the fact that I thought you were killed, I wouldn’t have believed it, I think I might’ve died from the pain,” she whispered into the skin and Korra shushed her, hugging her waist tighter and leading Asami to the bed.

Asami sat in between Kya and Korra, reaching for the older woman’s hand and squeezing the flesh. 

“Thank you,” Asami sincerely spoke to the woman who nodded, Kya locking eyes with Korra before clearing her throat and standing.

“You two have things you need to talk about, but, just head to the lobby if you need anything- it’s been a stressful night for the both of you, so try not to scream too loudly at each other and upset the other guests,” Kya managed a smile as Korra laughed, Asami’s grin was a mere ghost of a small, the depths of her eyes still swimming in a panicked frenzy. 

Kya walked towards the door and gave them another pointed look, “Seriously, keep the shouting to a minimum,” she narrowed her eyes comically then slipped through the threshold, closing the door behind her.

Korra sat with Asami’s hands in her own. Asami was silent because she was drowning in the fear of losing Korra, she felt like she was seeing all of their memories slipping by in her head, through the cracks in her fingers, she felt like no matter how much she loved the woman that the paralyzing fear she felt in her chest would never dissipate.

“Korra- what-” Asami paused, sniffling quietly and trying to find the words. Korra waited patiently for the woman to compose herself.

“What happens if tomorrow isn’t enough for me?” Asami’s voice was quiet and Korra felt some fear enter her own chest.

“What do you mean baby?” Korra slipped the term of endearment to try to ease the woman’s mind, but Asami could feel herself spiraling again.

“Tomorrow Korra. We always said we could make it because we have a tomorrow, but, what if that isn’t good enough for me?” Their eyes locked and Korra could make out the edges of tears building up in Asami’s once more.

“What if-” Asami gasped, “What if I want a next week? A next month? A next _year_ Korra?”

Korra sat with the revelation, holding Asami’s hands in hers. She bit her lip and felt some tears leak out of her own eyes as well, “Baby, this is just the cost of us being together-”

Korra felt defeated as she said the words and Asami scoffed, more tears spilling from her eyes, “It doesn’t _have_ to be,” 

Asami felt Korra pull her hands from her own and stare at the woman, “Baby, it’s for your protection- _our_ protection, we could die if the news gets out,”

Korra stared at the woman’s eyes, feeling Asami’s hands reach up to cup her face, the warmth in the extremity sending shivers down her spine, “ _You_ could’ve died today and I wouldn’t have been able to mourn you properly if you did,”

The words hit Korra like a semi-truck. 

“But-” Korra began exasperated, “- _you_ were the one who suggested we become so secretive, you’re even more cautious than I am when it comes to us,” Korra deflected and Asami shook her head, knowing she could feel the woman withdrawing from her.

“And you don’t think that it’s been killing me to do so? Every lie I tell feels like I’m choking myself and one of these days we’ll get caught and I’m afraid I’ll drop dead because I can’t breathe,” Asami shot back.

“Because, as careful as we’re being, we _will_ get caught Korra, it’s just how these things go, nothing is forever-” Asami and sniffled again, Korra kept their eyes together, shocked at Asami’s willingness to access their relationship.

Usually, Asami was the one who deflected speaking about the reality of their situation, opting for dreaming about the couple they could be and not at all talking about the couple they were in the moment. Korra allowed her to dream, not wanting to be the one who brought her back to Earth- reminded her of everything they didn’t have the freedom to do.

“So, you want to tell?” Korra inquired and saw the pained look on Asami’s face from the suggestion.

“I haven’t been able to breathe ever since we started dating Korra- even though we lay at night with some momentary abatement, the fear is still there- I just want it to go away, don’t you?” Asami answered the question indirectly and posed another query for Korra to ponder on.

The woman let out a few shaky breaths, “Of course I do, you’ve given me hope that there’s life beyond the one I’ve chosen for myself,” Asami then felt the warmth fluttering in her chest at the admittance.

“We _deserve_ a life beyond this one Korra, but first, you’re right, we have to tell-” Asami spoke softly and Korra sighed.

“I’ve been wanting to tell someone- anyone- for ages Asami, and I want you to be sure that this is something you want. So, what brought this on?” Korra clarified with her girlfriend.

An intense look crossed Asami’s features, her hands still cradling Korra’s face, her thumbs smoothing over the skin of her cheeks.

“I know our lives are dangerous, we’ve become used to death, but tonight I’ve never felt more close to losing you than I did-” Asami broke the eye contact and let out a shaky breath.

“-Even thinking about it brings that awful fear back into my heart,”

“You didn’t lose me though,”

“But _I_ could’ve- face it, our lives have had an accelerated expiration date the moment we each decided to join an organized crime syndicate,”

Asami tightened her grip on Korra’s face ever so slightly, “I _can’t_ lose you Korra, it’ll be too much for me,”

“I’m afraid of what I’ll do, what will become of me if you died-”

Korra shushed her again, nodding slowly, pressing their foreheads together, and synching their breathing. She laid her hands on Asami’s thighs, kneading the flesh of the skin, trying to calm her down.

“I just need more than a tomorrow Korra, please-” Asami whispered and Korra pulled her into a hug, shouldering her own fear surrounding keeping their relationship a secret and putting her main priority on comforting her girlfriend.

“Okay, in time, soon- we’ll tell,” Korra whispered back and felt Asami pull her face forward, connecting their lips, the taste of their tears fresh on their tongues as the pair both tilted their heads and deepened the kiss.

Asami moaned first, pulling away from the lip-lock, her eyes dazed and lips that were partly swollen.

“I need to feel you, know that you’re alive,” Asami whispered and Korra felt her thighs clench at the sentence.

Asami trailed kisses down Korra’s jaw, bringing short moans and gasps from the woman.

“Can you make me feel good? Korra _please_ ,” Asami drew out the words and sucked some of the skin from Korra’s neck into her mouth, Asami groaned at the taste of her girlfriend as Korra gasped at the sensation of Asami’s mouth.

“Please daddy...” The term from Asami’s lips made Korra release a sharp breath, pulling Asami away from her next, seeing the desire fall into the woman’s green eyes.

“I’ve missed your touch- your body-” Asami trailed her hands from Korra’s face to her neck and shoulders, gripping the muscle tone there, “-Please make me forget about tonight,” Asami pleaded, the wanton look in her eyes edging closer to the surface as her lids became hooded.

Korra was swallowed by her desire, her and Asami passionate in their love-making because they knew each time they fell into bed together, it might be the last time they’d get to hold one another in their arms.

She leaned back onto the bed, propping Asami onto her lap as her back was pressed flush against the headboard. The minute their lips connected again they each moaned, the river of sadness being washed away by the tidal wave of desire and need to have each other. Korra clung tightly to Asami’s waist as her girlfriend’s hands snaked into her short hair, Korra groaning when Asami’s nails scraped against the base of her neck, the woman’s hips beginning to rock in a slight rhythm on her lap as Korra pulled her closer, trying to press their bodies as firm to each other as possible.

“Daddy- I want you-” Asami whispered, tilting her head back to give Korra access to her neck, the woman pressing firm and wet kisses to the skin.

Korra licked a strip from Asami’s neck to her ear, ghosting her lips over the shell and breathing into the flesh as her hand came down hard onto Asami’s ass, the woman gasping and her nails digging into Korra’s shoulder slightly.

“Be patient baby, be patient for me-” Korra rasped into Asami’s ear, the woman’s hips canting quicker onto her lap, and as Asami released more moans.

“Fuck daddy, I want you inside of me-” 

“I wanna feel your fingers stretching me out-”

“I wanna cum for you, _so fucking badly_ ,”

Korra’s lips became more aggressive on Asami’s neck, adding teeth and tongue into the ministrations as she sat up further on the bed. Korra tapped Asami’s thigh and the woman crawled out of her lap, the pair rose to their knees to meet each other in another kiss, Korra’s shirt coming off in the mix of their lips as her hand pressed firmly to the apex between Asami’s thighs over the material of jeans.

“ _Oh, daddy_ -” Asami bit her lip when Korra pressed her hand harder against Asami’s clothed pussy, the heat from her emanating even outside of her jeans.

“You want me baby-?” Korra whispered to Asami who nodded adamantly then removed her shirt, Korra letting her fingers trail down the exposed skin of her torso.

“Please, you’re all I want daddy, I want you to make me feel so fucking good- like I know you can,” Asami whispered back and then popped open the button to her jeans, she knew she was soaked, so she dragged Korra’s hand inside of her pants, moaning when she felt the woman’s experienced fingers pressing exactly where she needed them.

“Soaked baby-” Korra drew out the words, her voice low and rich.

Korra began slow circles around Asami’s clit, the sensation somewhat minimized by the barrier of her panties, but Asami drew her hips in small circles anyway, seeking out more of the friction and Korra’s touch.

“All for me?” Korra referenced the arousal that was currently soaking Asami’s panties.

The woman nodded quickly, “All for you daddy, you’re the only one that can make me wet like that, you’re the only one I want to touch me like this- please just make me feel good,” Asami gasped when Korra’s fingers pushed her panties to the side inside of her jeans, Korra’s middle finger pressing directly at Asami’s clit.

“ _Fuck daddy…_ ” Asami breathed slowly and let her head fall to Korra’s shoulder as they still kneeled on the bed. 

“Spread your legs a little bit for me,” Korra murmured and Asami followed the direction the best she could, her hips still rolling on Korra’s teasing fingers, as they drew lazy circles around her clit.

Asami felt her panties being pulled further down her legs, along with her jeans, she was still knelt, but the fabric sat lower on her thighs. Asami gripped Korra’s shoulders as the woman’s fingers returned between her legs, Korra’s eyes locked with her girlfriend as her arousal dripped down towards her wrist.

“So, so, so, wet for me baby- what a good girl you are-” Korra’s fingers continued to tease, the circles speeding up then slowing down as Asami’s hips jerked and gyrated in accordance to the fluctuating level of pleasure.

“Yes daddy, I just want to be your good girl-” Asami whispered back, her back straightening when Korra’s middle fingers teased her entrance, popping inside of her then out a few times, making the woman anticipate the pleasure that was to come when her long and strong fingers entered her.

“What do you say to me when you want something baby?” Asami’s eyes rolled into the back of her head when Korra zeroed in on her clit, drawing tight and disciplined circles around the bud. 

Asami clung to her girlfriend while her fingers worked their magic between her legs, her hands gripping Korra’s shoulders with a fervent need as she continued to use her body.

“I say _please daddy_ \- I say please when I want something-” Asami spoke the words through sharp breaths and broken moans, Korra’s eyes loving the sight of her girlfriend aroused.

Korra could’ve teased her for much longer, but, considering the events of the night, she decided to give the woman a break, “Hm, good girl-” she murmured before sinking two fingers inside Asami, the digits going in without any resistance because of the sheer wetness the woman held between her legs.

Asami’s back arched the moment the fingers entered her, clinging to Korra’s shoulders she let out all the expletives exit her mouth once she felt her fingers begin to fuck her.

“Fuck- yes- shit-” Asami’s gasped as the long and quick strokes of Korra’s fingers made her eyes flutter and her body tremble.

Korra gripped Asami’s waist and sped up her arm, curling her digits and making Asami’s nails dig into her arm.

“So good _daddy_ -” Asami moaned as she spread her legs more.

Korra’s fingers entered Asami at a fervent pace, her fingers curling against her g-spot and Asami rolled her hips to meet every single one Korra’s thrust.

“So _fucking_ deep-”

“Fuck me so good-”

“Daddy- you feel amazing inside of me-” 

Asami was gasping out broken sentences, gibberish coming from her lips as Korra fucked her impossibly harder. Asami’s hips canting up and riding her fingers, the slick noises from between her legs making her even wetter at the obscene sound.

“Fuck-” Asami gasped when Korra’s thumb joined in on the pleasure.

“That thumb is so damn sneaky-” She moaned and trembled in Korra’s arms.

Korra smirked at the comment and only tightened her grip on Asami and continued fucking her with the pressure and speed that she knew would eventually make her cum. 

“Daddy- fuck- I’m- _shit right there_ -” Asami gasped when Korra hit a particularly deep spot inside of her, her sentence falling flat as she continued to ride and be pummeled her girlfriend’s fingers.

“I feel you clenching around me baby, are you close?” Korra murmured in Asami’s ear and the woman nodded, releasing a quick whine and a loud curse.

“So close daddy, so close- I’m gonna fucking-” Asami moaned and dug her nails harder into Korra’s shoulders.

“I’m gonna _fucking cum_ for you _daddy_ -” Asami’s eyes rolled back as the beginnings of her orgasm hit her.

Korra felt her pussy clamp up around her fingers, her digits barely moving as Asami rode out the highs of her climax, her body tightening and her hips mindlessly rolling as she gasped and screamed out Korra’s name. With a deep breath she came down from the orgasm, the aftershocks hitting her just as hard when Korra curled her fingers inside of Asami just to elongate the climax momentarily.

Asami felt her girlfriend withdrawing her fingers, Korra’s hand glistening as a result of her arousal. Asami felt herself gush when her girlfriend made eye contact with her while sucking on the fingers that were just inside of her- she shivered and felt her desire rear its head again.

“Got another one for me baby?” Korra asked and Asami nodded without hesitance.

Korra grinned pleasingly, gripping Asami’s ass and giving her a firm kiss. 

“On your stomach baby, ass up,” Korra whispered and Asami rolled off of her knees on the bed and eased into the mattress on her stomach. 

Korra took the time to pull off Asami’s jeans and her panties, leaving the woman in only her bra. Korra crawled off the bed to pull off the rest of her clothes, resting her pistol on the nightstand and giving Asami a look before she dipped back onto the mattress. Her girlfriend’s back was arched, pale and creamy skin on display as she took a moment to look at the sight before her. 

Asami’s pussy was reddened, the skin flushed from the fucking it just had endured a few minutes prior, Korra bit her lip at the sight, the woman’s wetness slowly peaking out from each lip, Asami’s clit hardened and straining out against its hood, the sight made Korra’s mouth water.

Korra lowered her body over the woman’s, Asami relished at the warmth and shivered at the kisses Korra began to place delicately on her skin, starting at the back of her neck, then between her shoulder blades and down the rest of her back. Asami’s hands dug into the mattress, gasping loudly at the bite Korra gave to one of her asscheeks.

“Fuck…” Asami moaned lowly and gasped when Korra’s hands parted the cheeks then her tongue playfully licked over the skin of her asshole.

Korra didn’t always rim Asami, but, the occasion felt right- the woman gripping her hips and burying her face between her ass. Her tongue was soft and gentle around the hole, Asami particularly liking the quick flicks she would make over her asshole as she relaxed further into the bed, eyes disappearing into her head as Korra’s tongue dipped inside.

“Fuck yes- daddy, fucking lick my ass, _just like that_ -” Asami’s moans were broken, her thighs already quivering as Korra’s tongue trailed downward and sucked her clit into her mouth without warning. 

“Daddy-” Asami moaned loudly as Korra’s tongue switched from the quick sucks on her clit to the long and thorough strokes her tongue made over her asshole.

Korra spread one of Asami’s legs on the bed, keeping her back arched but opening up her holes further. Her tongue dipped inside her pussy, driving it as far as it would go inside of the woman before pulling it back and swirling her tongue around Asami’s clit. Her mouth then trailed higher, her thumb massaging at Asami’s clit whilst her tongue rimmed her girlfriend into incoherence.

“...So _good_ …”

“...Like…that…”

“...Don’t…stop... _please_ …”

“Your tongue- fuck _daddy_ -” Asami gasped and balled the sheets in her hands, Korra’s mouth only intensified, gripping her waist and burying her face deeper.

She could feel the woman shaking, Asami’s thigh quivered and her moans became broken and disconnected. Korra dragged her tongue over her clit in a calculated rhythm, each pass over the bud sending more tension to Asami’s body, the tightness in her form only being released as soon as she sucked Asami’s clit back into her mouth.

Asami came with a cry, her back arching even deeper as she dug her nails into the sheets, turning her head to the side so Korra could hear every little moan and gasp she caused.

Korra pulled her mouth away, leaving kisses on Asami’s ass, and trailed them higher up her body, covering the woman’s form with her own, “Feel any better baby?” Korra murmured in her ear.

Asami hummed and grinned lazily, “I wish this feeling could last forever,”

“I also want to marry your mouth,” Asami added and Korra let out a hearty laugh.

“ _Just_ my mouth?” The woman asked and Asami made an exaggerated thinking noise.

“I guess I could marry you as well,” Asami teased as Korra rolled off to the side, Asami finding her way to Korra’s chest.

“Did you just propose?” Korra laughed as she asked and Asami tucked further into her chest, her arms going around Korra’s midsection as she giggled at the question as well.

“No, but, it’ll happen later on,” Asami promised and pressed a kiss to Korra’s jaw.

“We’ll make it there,” Korra spoke and locked eyes with Asami, who nodded and sighed out deeply.

Asami found her eyes landing on the sleeve of tattoos on Korra’s right arm. She let her fingers reach out and touch the design. Surprisingly, Korra was a fairly spiritual person, her tattoos displayed Raava and Vaatu, two ancient spirits that bring balance to the world. As Raava brought peace and life, Vaatu was the spirit of chaos and darkness, Asami remembered when Korra got the tattoo, her girlfriend arguing with the artist over the details in Vaatu, wanting the balance to perfect between the two ancient spirits.

Korra always believed in life that either of the two spirits had strong control over her- the moment she joined the Red Monsoon, she knew Vaatu had a hold of her life. She sunk deeper into the darkness, embracing Vaatu, and rode harder for the Red Monsoon as she became more serious about her life of crime. Her eyes looked at Asami as she trailed the spirits running down her arm, their tails connecting and disconnecting around the skin of her arm, finally reconnecting at the bottom to form a darkened band around her wrist, a symbolization of balance. 

Since meeting Asami, Korra felt that was Raava’s way of trying to become acquainted with her- Korra had lived in darkness for so long, being control by Vaatu and wickedness of the spirit, she felt refreshed to have the good energy of Raava, especially when she knew it came in the form of Asami. 

“I love your tattoo,” Asami muttered and pressed another kiss to Korra’s jaw, the woman hugged her closer, feeling the warmth from her body but the love between the two of them.

“I love you,” Korra responded and closed her eyes.

It’d have to be enough for them right now.

~~~~~

_3 Days Later_

Kuvira whistled a cheerful tune as she walked alongside Korra, the pair were patrolling the abandoned casino near the docks of Republic City- the building was right in the middle of Triple Threat and Red Monsoon territory and was usually where they held high-stakes gambling for the higher-ups in the triads to “bond” amongst one another. Korra didn’t find the bonding necessary as she knew every member who held weight in either triad would kill each other to get to the top and also she hated patrolling the gambling nights, but she endured.

Korra was happy to have Kuvira with her, the pair shared a good relationship, joining the Red Monsoon at the same time as her, Bolin, and Mako went into the gang. Kuvira held a high sense of respect for Korra, as the woman felt the same- also, Korra was positive besides herself that Kuvira was the only other person in the world who despised Mako as much as she did. Kuvira had a rough childhood and serious abandonment issues, she also held a soft spot for Bolin that she’d _never_ let anyone find out about. When Mako up and left the Red Monsoon, out of nowhere, it took the efforts of Korra and Bolin to stop the woman from going on a witch hunt to gather Mako’s head.

Korra was glad she wasn’t as ruthless as Kuvira, coming from her sense of spirituality, she knew the woman had been fighting against the forces of Vaatu for far too long. It took a while for it to happen, but when Kuvira finally let Korra and Bolin in, she had noticed the way Kuvira began to breathe easier about life and its tribulations.

“Say…” Kuvira trailed and stared at Korra.

The pair had stopped around the front of the building- they each were armed, blue bandanas on their arms, pistols in holsters, and Kuvira sported a pair of brass knuckles. They each were head-to-toe in black clothing, to blend in with the pitch-black night as Kuvira’s long hair was secured in a low bun. The woman stared at Korra and she could admit she didn’t like the way Kuvira was staring at her at this moment.

“That raid 3 days ago was something else, wasn’t it? I was on the other side of town on a different patrol when I heard about it, tried to get over near the restaurant as soon as possible,” Kuvira’s eyes stayed on Korra’s as spoke, making her words seem nonchalant.

Kuvira could read people, very well. She wouldn’t have survived as long as she did if she couldn’t spot liars at the drop of a hat. Her green eyes zeroed in on Korra’s face, and she watched the small cracks in her carefully-crafted mask begin to form. Korra looked away when Kuvira seemed to enhance her gaze, she hated when the woman did that, deduced everything about her so easily, Korra swallowed hard and looked back up, trying to show the best face of neutrality as she could.

“Yup, the raid came out of nowhere, Triple Threat trucks down the street, spraying right into the restaurant building- luckily Bo and I were at the back near the alley when we heard the shots, I caught a glimpse of the trucks once we ran, we got away safely though,” Korra completed her recollection, trying to stay calm as one of Kuvira’s eyebrows arched subtly.

“Interesting-” Kuvira went to say more but sudden laughter erupted from the inside of the building.

The pair’s hands each flew to their weapons, loud spikes in noises didn’t mean good things for the people on either side who were gambling in the building, laughter or otherwise. They each waited, Korra and Kuvira each patrolling and rounded either side of the building, checking the dock as well. They met in their previous location, Korra letting her hand drop from her pistol and facing Kuvira once more. 

Korra tried not to let it show but she was grateful for the small lapse in Kuvira’s probe into her, the woman wasn’t one for small talk- if she asked a question there was _always_ a method to her madness. However, Kuvira’s cool green eyes focused back onto Korra, as if no time had passed.

“Anyway, I was just saying it was interesting because I headed down to the restaurant the minute the word spread-” Kuvira paused and stared at Korra.

Kuvira was trying to get Korra to understand that she knew something was going on with her. Kuvira didn’t _actively_ keep tabs on her friends, but she made a habit to know their routine and whereabouts, to ease her own mind rather than theirs. Sure, it was an invasion of their privacy, she knew if Bolin or Korra found out that they’d be pissed, Kuvira understood this- but it wasn’t going to stop the woman in her actions. Korra had been acting strange and had been on Kuvira’s radar for some time, the woman was smooth in her lies, they were almost perfect lies, but Kuvira had mentally caught her being dishonest over these past months and she wanted to know what was going on with her friend. 

Kuvira continued staring at Korra, whose eyes were guarded and her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“Bolin told me that you went to check on the damage near the restaurant, then went for a drive afterward, I was just wondering when you were there because I was there right after the raid and didn’t see you at all,” Kuvira showed her hand and let her head cock to the side.

Her green eyes trailed Korra’s face, measuring the furrow in her brow, the creases in her forehead, the way her eyes darted slightly, the little quiver in her lower lip. Korra steeled her face, Kuvira’s last statement revealing her reason for questioning the woman- she fought the urge to tense, as that’s exactly what Kuvira wanted her to do, but she also didn’t have an alibi to come up with.

“Must’ve missed you, it was a quick drive-by, then I took a lap around the city,” Korra spoke, making sure to keep her voice even.

“The guys that were there before me- they didn’t see you either, or your bike,” Kuvira shot back.

“Actually, I was surprised to hear that Bolin said you were there in the first place, if anything I thought you would at least help with the clean-up from the shooting,” Kuvira added and Korra’s face cracked slightly.

“What is this?” Korra muttered and Kuvira stared at her, satisfied to get some sort of reaction from the woman.

“What is what? I was just asking why I nor any of the people from Red Monsoon remember seeing you there, despite Bolin saying you were,” Kuvira defended haphazardly.

“Then _why_ does it feel like you’re asking me something entirely different?” Korra challenged and Kuvira scoffed and smirked.

“Okay, fine-” Kuvira held her hands out in surrender, “You got me. Where were you?” 

Korra’s teeth grit when Kuvira asked the question so nonchalantly, “None of your damn business where I was,”

“Ah, so you admit you _weren’t_ there?”

Korra sighed, flabbergasted by Kuvira’s persistence, “No, I wasn’t,” she admitted quietly.

The look of triumph that flashed across Kuvira’s face taunted Korra, but she didn’t speak on it.

“So- where were you?” Kuvira doubled-down on the question and Korra’s eyebrows furrowed again.

“None of your damn business Kuvira,” Korra returned, with the same answer she spoke previously.

“Oh c’mon Korra, we’re friends, we’re _close_ , just tell me,” Kuvira added and stared at the pained expression that began to cross Korra’s face- it unnerved her.

Korra knew when Asami and her spilled the beans about their relationship what the general reactions would be. Bolin would be confused, but optimistic, and Opal would likely feel the same way. Mako would scoff in disbelief but offer his support in private- Kuvira would throw a fit, a large one, she’d find the relationship a betrayal entirely, so, Korra was panicking at this moment because it seemed the only person smart enough to clue in on her secrecy in their friend group was also the person that she’d be dreading to tell the most. 

“I can’t, it doesn’t concern you,” Korra tried and she watched the surprised expression on Kuvira’s face.

“Doesn’t concern me-?” Kuvira echoed and laughed humorlessly, “Of _course_ it concerns me Korra, you’re my best friend- _you’re_ why it concerns me,” 

Korra shook her head, not ready to tell anyone about Asami because they had just opened up to the idea of talking about them, but, especially not ready to tell Kuvira because she’d have the most negative reaction out of any of their friends.

“I just can’t tell you Kuvira, seriously,” Korra looked the woman in the eye and was startled by the emotion riddling inside the green gaze.

Kuvira laughed again, this time the sound was completely void of any happiness, “So, what is it? You’re deserting too? Crossing sides? Joining Agni Kai-?” Kuvira questioned, then smiled, the action sickening and sending chills down Korra’s spine as the woman leaned closer.

“-Or is it the Triple Threats? Are you leaving Bolin and me in the dust as well?” Kuvira’s voice was low and taunting, her eyes swallowed by anger and unshed tears.

Korra knew Kuvira had extreme abandonment issues and troubles with betrayal, but she never thought the woman would think she was capable of such a thing.

“Kuvira- No! What the hell are you talking about?” Korra’s voice raised slightly.

“What am _I_ talking about? You’re the one sneaking off from meetings, lying about your whereabouts, lying to your _friends_ , over something you apparently can’t tell us- excuse me for jumping to conclusions but _I’m_ not the one being deceitful here,” Kuvira raised her voice along with Korra’s and the pair stared off against one another.

Korra’s jaw clenched as she shook her head, “Just trust me-”

“ _How_ can I? Do you honestly think you’ve given me a reason to?”

“Kuvira please-”

The words were cut off by the sound of shots, many of them and what sounded like the spray of a gun, Kuvira and Korra both swore at the same time before darting out from the entrance to the building and sprinting near the outskirts of the docks. The pair each pulled their weapons out, waiting for the shots to end as the sound of screams and subsequent bullets flew through the walls of the building, causing both Kuvira and Korra to fall towards the ground. Korra pressed her face flush against the asphalt as she and Kuvira moved silently against the ground, making their way closer towards the abandoned casino. 

The shoots had ended, but the groans of pain had gotten louder the nearer the pair drew towards the building. The women stood and eased against one of the walls, facing the side entrance where the other patrolmen were laying, blood pooled as they were caught by the stray bullets that had penetrated the walls of the casino.

Kuvira had her pistol aimed and readied at the door, as Korra took the time to kneel and check the pulses of the three men that were on the ground.

“2 of them are gone, but this one is still alive, we gotta get him out of here and to Tarrlok, his pulse is weak,” Korra looked up at Kuvira whose jaw was clenched as she faced the door with the barrel of her gun.

“Fine, call him and leave the phone outside, we’ve got to check for survivors inside the building,” Kuvira responded, her usually calm eyes wild and slightly frantic.

Korra ignored her fears about Kuvira’s highly emotional state as she stared at the woman, taking out her phone and pressing the call button. She set the cellular on the ground and aimed her pistol, Korra repositioned her side against the building and placed her hand around the doorknob, she locked eyes with Kuvira.

“On three,” Korra whispered and then listed off the numbers, twisting the knob and pushing the door open.

Kuvira entered first, her body alert as she and Korra surveyed the open room, checking the corners and each bathroom as the gambling table in the middle of the room was occupied by bullet-ridden individuals. Korra let her eyes scan the men, crossing off the ones with visible holes through their heads, she checked the pulses of the ones with abdominal gunshots and found 2 more survivors, Kuvira ran out of the room to gather the phone from the ground as Korra removed her heavy jacket to reveal a black henley- she tore off a sleeve to her shirt to apply pressure to the men's wounds, the blood soaking her hands.

“Yes, 3 survivors Tarrlok, save the men involved in the gambling first-” Kuvira paused while walking back into the room, “You’ll send a truck? Bright blue, four-door model, got it,” 

“Does he sound mad?” Korra asked while pressing harder against the wound, the man released a pained groan and Korra let out a sigh.

“Groaning is good sir, keep it going, I wanna make sure you live-” Korra remarked while staring at Kuvira from across the room, the woman placing Korra’s phone on the table.

“No, not mad from what I can hear-” Korra turned when Kuvira’s voice cut off and she watched as the woman stared at her phone screen on the table.

A chill ran down Korra’s spine at the narrowing of Kuvira’s eyes.

“Who’s ‘TTA?’” Kuvira asked while locking eyes with Korra, her suspicions surrounding Kora only worsening by the vagueness in the contact name.

Korra clenched her jaw, “No one,” she replied and turned back to the man’s wound.

“Are you sure? Because they seem pretty concerned about your whereabouts-”

“Kuvira, knock it off-”

“At least that makes two of us… I want to know where you are as well, especially when you lie about it-”

“Damn it! Kuvira-” Korra turned and her blood-soaked sleeve slipped from the man’s stomach.

Her hands, reddened, dripped trails of blood to the floor of the casino, “ _You_ aren’t entitled to know my every move, where I am all the time- I’m done fulfilling that sick power fantasy of yours-” She pointed a bloodied finger at her friend who scoffed.

“If that’s how it’s going to be,” Kuvira pursed her lips and shook her head, crossing the room while removing her own jacket to apply pressure to the other man’s wound.

The pair were silent the rest of the way, Kuvira opting to ride in the truck as Korra rode her bike to her patrol and Kuvira took the metro out toward the docks. Korra remembered the disappointed and angry look Kuvira passed her way as she hopped atop her bike and drove off from the abandoned casino.

Kuvira rode silently in the truck, sliding her phone from her pocket and dialing a number. 

“Kuvira, what is it…?” The sleepy voice of Bolin echoed through the phone speaker as the woman bit back more tears, her emotions overwhelming her because of Korra’s actions.

“Something’s going on with Korra, will you help me figure out what it is?” Kuvira answered as movement sounded from Bolin’s end of the call, probably him sitting up in his bed from the urgency in Kuvira’s voice.

“Woah, Woah, you’ve jumped to conclusions like this before Kuv-”

“I _know_ I’m right about this, just please help me, I’m worried about her,” 

Kuvira spoke and Bolin could hear the desperation in her voice, knowing the woman was prone to making rash decisions when her emotions were heightened.

“Alright, what do you need me to do?” Bolin answered, though his voice sounded sullen and hesitant.

Kuvira took a deep breath and began explaining her plan.

~~~~~

“So, Korra, you wanted that casserole recipe- it’s right here on my phone-”

“Oh, that’d be great Bolin!” 

The woman leaned over in the booth where she, Bolin, and Kuvira sat. The diner was one of the few places in Republic City that were in neutral territory for both the Triple Threats and Red Monsoon, though when the majority of one triad occupied the diner for the evening, the other tended to stay away. Tonight, the diner was full of Red Monsoon grunts, just regular members of the triad, but definitely, the most violent- anyone was ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

Bolin and Korra had been making small talk, the man going into detail of this vegetarian lasagna he had made while the trio waited for their food- Korra humored him and listened to his tales about the process to make the dish, loving the way he got so animated when he talked about something he was passionate about. The lasagna had actually sounded appetizing to Korra, so she commented halfway through the story about getting the recipe and Bolin brought the list of directions up on his phone. 

Korra’s eyes darted to Kuvira in the booth as she snapped a picture of the recipe, the pair of women had spoken minimally ever since their fight on the night of their patrol for the gambling evening. Kuvira hadn’t snitched on Korra despite her suspicions of her defecting to the Triple Threats because she needed substantial evidence, which is what she called Bolin to help her out with. The man wasn’t comfortable with spying on Korra like Kuvira was, so she had him constantly being around Korra, asking her where she was going so he could tell Kuvira who’d either corroborate or contradict her story.

Kuvira found that Korra was a damn good liar, as more times than not she was where she said was. But, there still came the situations where Kuvira had driven around the entire block of a place Korra apparently was at and she didn’t catch a glimpse of the woman, it seemed to her that Korra had been lying about this particular thing for such a long time she had begun to incorporate her lies into her actual routine, which were the hardest to catch and the easiest to tell.

Korra eased back in the booth, sitting next to Bolin as Kuvira was positioned across from them. Her eyes scanned the lasagna recipe on her phone, smiling to herself and placing her elbows on the table. Korra’s tight, blue, mesh t-shirt allowed for the action, she tucked the shirt into her regular black cargos, though they were more slimming in nature- black boots donned her feet. Korra scanned Bolin’s black henley, with the same green pullover as he usually wore, the man was in jeans but similar boots to Korra as well. Kuvira huffed out a breath, annoyance on her face as she wore a similar henley to Bolin, but a pair of gray cargo pants on her legs, Korra noticed the woman wearing her heavier pair of boots this evening- which the woman only wore when she was planning on going raiding with other Red Monsoon grunts later in the night.

“Spirits Bolin, that looks delicious, I’ll have to invite you over so we can make it sometime-”

“Hell yeah!”

“Guys-” Korra and Bolin’s heads turned to look at Kuvira, who faced the entrance to the diner in their booth.

The woman’s jaw was clenched as Korra noticed the way her hands had balled into fists atop the table, Korra turned her head to look where Kuvira was and a gasp left her mouth. 

Mako and Opal stood at the entrance, making small talk, as a flood of Triple Threats in dark red jackets and bandanas followed the pair. Korra’s eyes scanned the crowd, her heart hammering, she pleaded, hoped, to _anyone_ that she wouldn’t see her-

Then Korra cursed Vaatu with every fiber of her being.

Asami stepped through the doors, laughing at something one of the men that followed her had said. Her own leather jacket black with red trim, a tight black tank top underneath the layer, and dark wash jeans that fell over heavy black boots. She donned ‘TTT’ brass knuckles on her fists as Asami ushered through the crowd and gave a broad smile at Opal.

The lively environment the diner had once been in turned tense in an instant.

No one spoke and the tension seemed to bend Korra in half.

“Seems kinda full in here,” One of the Red Monsoon grunts finally addressed the Triple Threats.

Mako chuckled and adjusted the red scarf around his neck, his lip curling into a smirk, “We’ll make do,”

“Like hell you will-” Kuvira snarled and Bolin’s head whipped towards the woman.

“Kuv- just take a breather,” He tried to reassure her as Korra’s eyes locked with Asami.

The panicked look spread across the woman’s face, Asami gripping her leather jacket tighter as she held the arm of Mako, who had tensed up at Kuvira’s words. Asami couldn’t stand when he got like this, arrogant and rude- they were a gang, be that as it might, but she at least had the control and self-respect to conduct herself like a functioning member of society.

Though Asami could admit, Mako lost that a _long_ time ago.

“Last I remember, _this_ is neutral territory Kuvira- so we’re both allowed here,” Mako laughed with egotism as Triple Threat members joined in, some of them patting Mako on the back at the retort.

Korra locked eyes with Asami once more, managing a small shake of her head, mouthing to her, ‘leave, right now,’

Asami responded in turn, biting her lip and managing to mouth back, ‘I can’t,’

“Well! I’m starved,” Mako spoke as the entourage of Triple Threats riddled into the diner to sit at the empty seats.

Opal, Asami, and Mako sliding right into the table across from Korra’s booth as the woman placed her head in her hands and shook it, wondering how her luck could be so bad.

“Forget it, I’m _not_ eating with Triple Threats-” Kuvira threw the napkin on her lap on the table and went to scoot out of the booth, Korra reached across the booth and grabbed her forearm, giving her a warning glance.

“Wonderful, more room for us- I wasn’t fond of dining with _trash_ either,” He was smug, his face potent with the emotion.

Korra sighed, whispering a curse to Mako as Kuvira wrenched her forearm from her grasp and stood up, walking straight over towards the man’s table.

Kuvira didn’t hold much respect for anyone in this world until they proved her otherwise- she had made the mistake of giving Mako too much credit for his character before he betrayed her like it was nothing. She let her boots slam into the floorboards of the diner when she approached, knowing despite his cool exterior- she still knew how to get under his skin.

Asami gave her a worried look as Bolin slid out of the booth as well, placing a hand on Kuvira’s shoulder as she stood in front of the trio of Triple Threats.

“You got something to say to me?” Kuvira rasped to Mako who chuckled.

“Nothing at all, just wanted to enjoy a meal-” He began and trailed his eyes up-and-down Kuvira’s form, “-weren’t you just leaving? I’d _really_ appreciate that.” Mako smiled so hard his dimple popped out and Korra clenched her teeth harder at his words.

He was egging Kuvira on and the woman was wound up enough that she might do something about it.

Spirits knew how much anyone in this diner was itching for a fight.

“Kuv, c’mon, he isn’t worth it,” Bolin pleaded at Kuvira, the words barely penetrating the wall of her anger.

Kuvira sneered at Bolin’s comment, giving the older brother a withering look.

“Look at that Mako, you abandon your brother and he’s still around to talk some sense into me,” Kuvira spoke condescendingly and that brought Mako off his pedestal.

He stood suddenly, chair scraping against the wood of the floor as he straightened, facing Kuvira on. 

Korra heard the unmistakable sound of pistols whipping from their respective holsters as members of the Red Monsoon and Triple Threats in the diner all began to aim their weapons at one another.

The silence that came was deafening.

Korra watched with horror as members of each gang roamed over the triggers to their weapons, fingers itchy and ready to fire.

“Woah! Woah! I allow the triads in here because food is universal, but I will _not_ tolerate violence,” The owner of the diner shouted from the kitchen.

“All of you, _out!_ ” His voice roared and the pistols went back in their holsters as the Red Monsoon and Triple Threats began to exit the diner.

“Fine, we can take it to the street, that’s fine with me,” Kuvira spoke and turned on her heel, walking towards the exit as well.

Bolin stood and stared at his brother, the pain in both of their eyes clear to the onlookers of Opal, Asami, and Korra as Mako left first, his feet stomping against the ground as he left.

Opal and Asami followed Mako, the couple giving each other a fearful look as they passed one another.

“I didn’t even get my milkshake,” Bolin pouted as Korra finally slid out of the booth and stood, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“Milkshakes should be the _last_ of your issues Bo-” Korra squeezed the man’s arm slightly and the pair walked in unison, “-You got my back?” Korra asked him.

Bolin gave her a determined look, “Always,”

They walked outside together to see the Red Monsoon and Triple Threats in a stand-off in the street. Kuvira stepped forward from their side as Mako stepped forward from the other.

Despite each gang possessing firearms, it was clear the fight would be settled with fists. Korra had been in a few street brawls ever since she joined the Red Monsoon, but none of this caliber. She knew the violence would get out of hand and quickly, but it was an unspoken thing between the two triads that this was a battle that wouldn’t end in a shootout. 

Korra and Bolin waited in anticipation, Kuvira, and Mako just out of reach of one another. Korra locked eyes with Asami across the street, watching as she adjusted her brass knuckles and slipped on a face of tenacity. Korra found her own courage as well, her face hardening and hands balling into fists.

She _would_ survive, she _had_ to.

Mako threw a curse at Kuvira as the woman took the first swing and each side charged at each other, Korra running with the crowd and making sure to avoid Asami completely.

The fight began with the shouts, grunts, and the sounds of fists hitting bodies. Korra was swarmed with members of both Triple Threats and Red Monsoon, as she aided members in her own gang in the violence. The woman was agile, parrying from flying fists and wild kicks as she landed her own in the sea of men and women in dark red jackets. Korra kept her hands up, advancing further into the side occupied by the Triple Threats as 2 men caught her in a hold- one of them wrapped their arms around her waist as the other began to lay into her with a barrage of attacks. Korra tightened her abs, grunting at the blows, knowing she could take a punch, and she clawed at the man’s hands around her. His grip loosened slightly, and Korra took his index and middle finger and pulled the two away from each other, the man yelled at the pain, the skin pulling taut as Korra pulled harder and his middle finger popped and remained at an uncomfortable angle, with the heel of her boot she slammed her foot atop the man’s behind her and he finally let go. 

The man in front of her viewed the exchange, his rage clear before he charged at her, Korra dove to the side, recovering before landing a swift punch to the back of his head, he swayed- disoriented by the blow as Korra landed a stomp on his back, bringing him to the ground in a heap. She looked up at the man whose finger she had broken and he grunted and shook out his hand, trying to shoulder the pain. The two faced off again as Korra brought her hands up and protected herself, he punched wildly and Korra parried and block the attacks with ease, her own coming in the form of body punches that seemed to slow the man down- his hands dropped lower and lower, fatigue hitting him no matter how much adrenaline flow through his veins. He stood before Korra, sluggish and tired as she landed a smooth hook kick to his head, knocking the man off balance as Korra recovered- she pounced, clipping him with a right hook on his chin, he collapsed in a heap, eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Her head picked up to survey the rest of the fight, she was still deep into the Triple Threat side, though she spotted more blue bandanas rather than red jackets, her eyes scanning the crowd before finding Bolin.

A gasp left her lips before her legs began to pump, running with all her might.

The man was swarmed, pressed against a wall as his arms were brought up in a block to protect himself as three Triple Threats landed punches and kicks to his upright form, but Korra could see the blood coming out of his mouth and the fact his legs were wavering, she forced herself to move faster.

With a leap her arms wrapped around the midsection of one of the Triple Threats, he folded with the momentum of the tackle and fell to the ground. Korra straddled him and began raining down punches, her first one completely crushing the man’s nose underneath the surface of her knuckles, the blood spraying on her face. She looked at Bolin, who came alive at her assistance and he grabbed one of the Triple Threat grunts by the lapels of his jackets and threw him against the wall of the building he was just cornered in, the man’s skull collided with the building with a sickening crack. Korra felt herself getting yanked upright by the last Triple Threat- a beefy woman who grabbed her waist and Korra immediately headbutted her.

Bolin tagged the man against the wall with a series of punches, landing one on the man’s kidneys with an extra amount of gusto and he folded like a lawn chair, Bolin stomped on him, pressing the heel of his boot directly into his chest as the man wheezed a shaky breath then screamed out in surrender. Bolin turned to see Korra wrestling with the larger woman and he ran over to help.

The woman’s grip loosened from the headbutt and Korra squared her weight between her feet and took one of her arms, grabbing high on her bicep. Using the momentum from her hip she flipped the woman over her and she landed with a large impact on the ground. Korra twisted her arm that was still in her grasp, the joint releasing a sickening crack as the Triple Threat wailed on the ground. Korra threw down the extremity and locked eyes with Bolin, seeing the blood from a cut on his mouth.

“You okay?” Korra asked and put her hands to his shoulders, Bolin gave her a nod, his eyes still serious.

“Yeah, I’m okay- but look-” Korra watched where Bolin pointed, seeing Kuvira and Mako still locked in their intense fist fight, each of them bloodied and beaten as Mako’s jacket had been long abandoned and Kuvira’s hair fell from its usual pristine bun.

Korra and Bolin jogged over towards the pair, encountering more Triple Threat grunts that they each took care of. Bolin and Korra worked as a team, spinning off of one another to create more momentum, landing tandem blows on opponents that gave them more space to fight. Korra at one point yelled at Bolin to kneel as she jumped and rolled off his strong back, outstretching her leg and landing a powerful kick to one of the Triple Threats that was quickly advancing on them.

Then Korra froze and ate a strong punch to her jaw when she saw the raven hair of Asami. 

The woman gilded and moved through the crowd with ease. It looked like her feet were barely touching the floor as she weaved in between men who were stronger than her and used their strength against them.

Korra’s ears were ringing as she spat out a chunk of her cheek that she had bitten along with a pool of blood. Her eyes looked up and found Asami’s, they exchanged a knowing glance. Asami moved closer towards her girlfriend, avoiding a punch that was thrown at her and landing a strong kick to the man’s groin, he groaned and sunk to the ground quickly afterward- the woman kicked him in the face as she moved nearer to Korra. The pair each fended off their respective enemies as they came face-to-face, Korra managed a soft grasp on Asami’s shoulders before she violently pushed her to the side.

Her leg outstretched and landed an upward kick to the Red Monsoon grunt who came running to attack Asami, Korra grunted with the kick, seeing a bit of blood spray from the man’s mouth as he staggered to the side then spit out something- it was pink, the tip of his tongue.

He looked at her, horrified, as Korra turned to see Asami attacking one of the Triple Threats, her brass knuckles connecting with his face. The man had intentions of hitting Korra as her back was turned. The couple stared at each other, moving on to their respective enemies but keeping an eye out for one another.

Kuvira saw the entire exchange from further down the street and her blood boiled.

“Traitors!” Her voice roared then she grunted suddenly, being slid back. Her body shouldered the momentum of Mako’s attempt to tackle her, her boots crunched against the gravel in the street as the man had his arms wrapped around her.

She landed swift elbows to his back, feeling herself become off-balanced once Mako pushed her away. The pair winded up again for another punch but stopped their fists right before they impacted one another.

“Cops!” 

The two abandoned each other, Kuvira and Mako skirting off towards the alleyways as the sirens drew closer and closer. The crunch of gravel sounded as the police cruisers drew near, Kuvira desperately ran from the street and towards the alleys, seeing the first wave of officers parking before they threw tear gas into the crowd of triads trying to evade the open street. The gas rose into the air, as the sirens, shouts, and beginnings of gunshots filled the street.

Mako doubled-back into the street, picking up his abandoned jacket and grabbing the arm of the frantic Opal and pulled her into the alleyway he initially occupied. He kept his eyes on Kuvira, seeing the woman spring from the street, her eyes narrowing on Korra. Korra panicked, she was still pressed in the sea of bodies as she looked for the head of raven hair, her eyes, burning from the tear gas, scanned the crowd wildly, jumping from person to person until she felt the grip of a hand come around her upper-bicep.

Korra turned to look at the person and felt relief as Asami’s green eyes stared at her, the woman had stripped off her red jacket, Korra staring at the gash above her eyebrow as they gripped each other and began running down the street. 

Kuvira tsked and ran out from her cover, following the pair.

In the triads, it was important to know the streets well- for this precise reason. Another wave of police cruisers parked as the plethora of officers came springing out, escaping into the alleys to chase the remaining members of each gang, some stayed to snap handcuffs on the grunts who lay in the street, others chased down the injured grunts, expanding their batons and beating them bloody. Other members of the triads laid writhing in pain or unconscious from the violence.

Korra and Asami sprinted together, hands clasped in a desperate grip as they turned and leaped over barriers in the same fashion, it seemed wherever Asami wanted to turn Korra was already thinking about going the same way, their feet leading them towards the same location.

Their safe haven.

_Misty Palms Oasis Motel._

Their desperation as they ran clouding their better judgment or the sneaking suspicion that they were being watched.

Kuvira wrapped her arm together around Bolin’s, grabbing him from the street the minute she decided to follow the pair. They were in close pursuit of Asami and Korra ahead of them as the shots continued to ring out in the streets, they ducked accordingly, Kuvira keeping her eyes focused on their target.

“C’mon, they’re leading us exactly where we need to go,” Kuvira gritted her teeth as she spoke, in a comfortable jog as Bolin ran beside her.

“Maybe we shouldn’t follow them- focus on our safety-”

“And leave traitors in our midst?”

Bolin quieted and continued running watching the unsuspecting Korra and Asami sprint down the alleyway and evade the police.

“Mako-”

“Shh-”

Mako covered the mouth of Opal with his hand as Bolin and Kuvira sprinted by them in the alley, the pair crouched in the shadows. He narrowed his own eyes, looking into the fearful ones of his friend.

“We’re following,” Mako whispered as more shots rang out, Opal falling in step with his jog immediately afterward.

The fighting was _far_ from being over.

~~~~~

“Dripping blood on my damn carpet-”

“Lin!”

“What, Kya? We just got it cleaned in all of the rooms-”

“There are _far_ better things to focus on sweetie,”

Lin mumbled under her breath and handed her wife another bandage to soak before pressing the cloth to Asami’s head. The woman had gotten drowsy as Korra and she entered the motel, bloodied and panting. Lin and Kya sprang into action immediately, Lin tossing Korra the room key as Kya grabbed her first aid kit. They were tending towards Asami’s head injury first, the cut above her eyebrow much deeper than initially anticipated, but Kya had seemed to finally get the blood to start clotting as the woman laid back in Korra’s arms on the bed.

“You’re doing great baby, just lay still for Kya-” Korra spoke calmly and rubbed her hands up and down the shoulders of Asami, who kept her eyes open, the lids heavy with fatigue and pain.

Kya brought the thread for the stitches out and gave Korra a look, the woman nodded, returning her attention back towards Asami.

“Alright, this is the worst part, but just hold my hand, yell, do whatever you need to do to get through it, okay?” Korra’s voice returned to Asami, whose eyes welled with tears as she nodded.

Kya had begun to begin the stitches, not having any numbing agent, and Asami grunted with the pain, yelping aloud occasionally. Her hand reached for Korra’s and she squeezed the extremity, feeling every pass of the needle going through her skin, the thread making the sensation feel tight- Asami shook with the pain. She kept her eyes on Korra, the big blues staring down at her with enough love and affection that she was able to bear the agony until Kya finished the stitches and threw the needle in the small bucket with the rest of her bloody tissues from when they were attempting to stop the bleeding.

Asami let out a sigh of relief, then her eyes zeroed in on Korra’s fattening lip and purple discoloration around the corner of her mouth.

“Your turn-” Asami spoke and tried to stir in Korra’s lap but the woman tightened her grip on her arms.

“Lay still baby, you’re definitely concussed, Kya is just going to give me some saltwater to swish around in my mouth until the bleeding stops,” Korra murmured and calmly moved from the bed, keeping Asami’s head still as she placed her back onto the sheets.

“And check out those ribs, you’ve been wincing every time you breathe-” 

Kya’s cool eyes scanned Korra’s form as the woman took the glass of warm salt-water Lin had prepared and walked into the bathroom of the room.

Korra swished around the water, spitting until the liquid that left her mouth was no longer pinkened with her blood. She stared up at herself in the mirror, other than the busted and fat lip, along with the piece of her cheek that she bit into, her face hadn’t suffered too much from the fight. Her blue t-shirt stuck to her by the sweat and various bloodstains as well, she imagined she didn’t smell the best, but the woman fought for her survival just a few minutes prior and couldn’t find herself caring. Korra’s heart sank at the memory of Asami’s gash above her eyebrow- it’d probably scar, but she found herself smiling at the thought, something Asami would probably hate but she enjoyed. A memory the two could share.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud banging.

“I know you two are in there!” 

Korra’s head shot up in the bathroom. That voice sounded like-

Kuvira stood with Bolin, Mako, and Opal on the other side of the door. The small group had pursued Korra and Asami to the motel, she figured this was where Korra was holed up when she lied about her whereabouts. Kuvira was initially livid when she heard the footsteps behind Bolin and herself, seeing Mako and Opal doing a terrible job at shadowing them, but the four put their differences aside (Mako and Kuvira really) and continued to follow Korra and Asami.

The pair had slipped into the motel and out of the quartet’s line of sight. So, the group had begun banging on people’s door, finally reaching the wing of the motel where they heard the unmistakable noise of Asami’s grunt through the door, the four recognized Korra’s voice that followed, but not the other ones in the room.

Kuvira’s patience for Korra had withered _yesterday_ , so without much thought, she raised her hand and knocked on the door- hard.

What she didn’t expect to see was an older woman, with a scar, a scowl, and staring at the four like they were scum.

Opal spotted Asami laying on the bed and she gasped, trying to move into the room but the woman in the doorway blocked the entrance even further.

“It’s alright Lin, it’s time they knew,” Kuvira’s head picked up at the sound of Korra’s voice.

Korra exited the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe and crossing her arms.

Lin stepped to the side, Kuvira barreling into the room and motioning between Asami and Korra.

Korra gave Kya and Lin a glance, the two older women nodded, Kya taking the time to press a kiss to Asami’s forehead on the bed before she packed up her medical supplies and left with her wife, the door shutting with a quiet click as the group all began to stare at one another.

Kuvira moved further into the room, motioning between Korra and Asami erratically. 

“See! I knew it, I knew it Bolin-” She turned to look at the man, the confusion written on his features as his eyes scanned between Korra and Asami.

“What’s going on?” Bolin spoke, Mako, eyeing his brother and let his gaze fall onto Korra.

Opal scoffed, “Isn’t it obvious?”

Kuvira turned to the woman with rage in her eyes, “I’m not listening to anyone else until I hear Korra admit she’s a dirty traitor-”

“Calm down-” Opal tried to reason.

Kuvira scoffed, “ _Don’t_ tell me to calm down-” 

Kuvira stepped closer to Opal and Mako stood between them, his golden eyes on Kuvira.

“What? Are you her bodyguard or something?” Kuvira sneered and Korra shook her head.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Korra spoke and Kuvira laughed dryly as she turned her attention back towards the woman, the rage coming off of her in waves.

“Rich coming from you-” She stepped further into the room, Bolin’s eyes wary as he watched the woman. “-you’re sleeping with the enemy,”

Kuvira crossed her arms, mirroring Korra who pushed off the doorway to the bathroom and walked towards the other triad members.

“Yes, Asami and I are together- have been together,” Korra crossed the room and sat on the bed, looking at Asami’s sleepy face, her green eyes scanning Kuvira- though she had yet to utter a single word. 

“So, it’s serious?” Bolin asked and Opal perked up at the question, nodding along with the man.

Asami cleared her throat, “Yes, I love her with all I have,” she reached for Korra’s hand and their fingers laced, Asami reaching further up to rub the designs on the woman’s tattoo, the action always calming her down.

“It must’ve been torture for you two-” Opal spoke and put a hand over her mouth, “-the lying, the constant danger, how did you guys handle it?”

Korra stared at the woman, still donned in her Triple Threat jacket, though the red color didn’t enrage her like it was supposed to. The common ground, the empathy, Opal showed the pair made Korra completely disregard any clashes in their gang affiliations.

“It wasn’t easy. It was hard to lie, but, after a while, we got used to it because we were so desperate to see each other,” Asami commented as Opal approached the bed, along with Bolin in tow.

“Anything you need, protection, an alibi, you’ve got it from me,” Opal kneeled on the bed and Bolin took a deep breath.

“Is she why you want to leave?” He looked at Korra who ducked her head and nodded, locking eyes with Asami on the bed.

Bolin smiled, one that reached his eyes, he didn’t have too many of those anymore, ever since Mako left.

“Then I’m happy for you two to have found something to leave this life for,” Bolin grinned and put a hand to Korra’s shoulder.

“Am I invited to the wedding?” Bolin jested and Asami let out a laugh.

“Of course, colors don’t matter to us-” Asami began and heard the snort from both Mako and Kuvira.

The pair were still standing by the doorway, seemingly not moved by the empathy shown by Bolin and Opal.

“Colors should always matter, it’s why we fight for them, why we’d _die_ for them,” Mako proclaimed and Korra felt Bolin’s hand slide from her shoulder.

She watched as his eyes lit up in anger, the green vibrant as he turned abruptly on the bed.

“Clearly they don’t matter to you-” Bolin spoke and Mako’s attention turned towards his brother.

“Bolin-” 

“No- No! I’m _done_ with pretending what you did to me was fine like it’s okay. You _left_ me there, without a word, without a trace, and now I’m forced into this life because I simply want to know if you’re fucking alive,” Bolin stood from the bed, facing his brother.

He could feel his heart thrumming, the anger finally bubbling over as his eyes stared into Mako’s.

“It was to protect you!” Mako shouted.

Bolin laughed, shaking his head, “Leaving me alone, without you? Is that what you call protection these days?”

Mako shook his head again, “You had Korra and Kuvira, I made sure you were protected. I had no other choice Bolin, Tarrlok-” he shut his mouth and made a noise of frustration.

Asami, Opal, and Korra sat stunned on the bed, clearly a bit of information on the tip of Mako’s tongue that none of them were supposed to find out about.

Even Kuvira looked surprised, the anger in her gaze lifting for a rare moment.

“Tarrlok what Mako? What did he do?” Bolin asked his words a near whisper.

“He wanted one of us gone, Bolin- In our group, we caught too much heat from the cops, he couldn’t always protect us. So he needed either of us to leave the gang, or else-” Mako’s jaw clenched, “-or else he’d kill us both,”

Bolin stood stunned, his breaths coming out shaky.

“So, I left and joined the Triple Threats, they have a lot of dirty cops under their thumbs, and I could keep an eye on you. But, Tarrlok told me if I squealed about what he said to me, that he’d kill you,” Mako spoke again as Bolin approached his brother, tears streaming from his face.

Bolin wordlessly wrapped his arms around Mako’s torso and the two embraced.

Korra let out a shaky breath on the bed at the entire exchange, _none_ of them knew the burden Mako carried.

Just like how Mako didn’t know about the weight Asami and Korra undertook together.

“Colors _should_ matter-” Mako reiterated, breaking apart from the hug between his brother, his eyes laying on Asami and Korra on the bed.

Asami could see they lacked their usual intensity, however.

“-Your happiness should _also_ matter, I’m here if you need anything,” Mako spoke, his voice soft as he pulled Bolin in for another hug, the younger brother soaking Mako’s shirt with his tears.

“So, I’m the only one here still pissed?” Kuvira spoke again, the rage so evident in her gaze.

Korra heard Opal mumble ‘as usual’ under her breath as she locked eyes with Kuvira.

“I’m not asking for your acceptance or even support, I was done hiding it from you, and I’m giving you an apology for lying through all this time,” Korra spoke as she saw the words hit Kuvira.

The woman sneered and it made Asami and Korra’s blood run cold.

“Yeah- you’ll be sorry, you’ll _definitely_ be sorry when I let Tarrlok know about this-” 

Korra gasped and her head flew back in disbelief, “You’re _snitching_?”

Kuvira shrugged crossing her arms, “Betrayal comes with unforeseen consequences, this is the only appropriate way to deal with the matter,”

Korra scoffed as she felt Asami’s hand wrapped around her forearm, the woman’s green eyes flashing in a warning.

“You’d rather see me die than be happy?” Korra asked Kuvira who sucked her teeth and sat with the question.

“Your wellbeing means nothing to me the minute you fucked that piece of _trash_ right there-” Kuvira pointed at Asami on the bed and Korra’s fists clenched.

It took only a few seconds for her to adjust on the side of the bed, her eyes locking with Kuvira’s before she launched herself at her.

Bolin and Mako jumped in the way, each grabbing Korra as the woman fought desperately in their grasp.

“You keep her name from your mouth Kuvira! You’re _dead!_ ” Korra practically growled out the sentence before Kuvira made her exit, darting from the room with ease.

Korra wrenched the brothers' hold from her and stared at them, “Well c’mon! She’s going to tell Tarrlok-”

Korra ran out of the room as well, her ribs firing up in pain from the strenuous activity but she pushed harder, hearing the joined footsteps of the boys behind her. She found the wild hair of Kuvira in the street as she raced after her.

The _Misty Palms Oasis Motel_ wasn’t too far from the diner where the street brawl had occurred, Korra could even spot some Red Monsoon members walking the street, their bandanas gone from their arms but Korra knew their faces.

She wondered how many Triple Threats were in the street.

Then suddenly a memory came to her, it was one of those nostalgic moments that a person remembered right before something happened to them.

Korra heard Bolin’s voice, something he had said to her.

_“You know Triple Threat stragglers from fights have itchy trigger fingers,”_

The gunshot rang out and Korra stopped running from the impact. The pain didn’t hit her until her eyes looked down and she saw the blood seeping from her stomach, she wailed and hit the asphalt in the street, her hands going to her wound.

“Korra!” The dual voices sounded, as Bolin and Mako joined her in the street.

“Call a fucking ambulance!” Lin yelled from inside the motel, witnessing the entire event.

Korra’s head lulled to the side, seeing Opal assisting Asami outside the motel, Korra smiled when their eyes met.

She coughed a bit of blood and kept her gaze on Bolin, the man began applying pressure to the wound, he was speaking but the words were muffled, not hitting Korra’s ears as they should. Korra coughed again and felt hands cradling her head, she saw Asami’s face, tears streaming down onto Korra’s.

“Please, please, stay- you can’t leave damn it-” Korra heard those words from the woman and she smiled again.

“I love you Korra,” Korra heard that as well and she sighed, feeling her breaths get shallow as she felt the fatigue hit her,

So sleepy, Korra knew she was, and looked up at Asami once more, smiling again.

So she rested.

~~~~~

Asami stood suddenly as the group of triads in the waiting room of the hospital stuck out like a sore thumb. The doctor came out of the operating room, removing his mask and standing with his hands in the pocket of his scrubs, Asami approached him, Opal in tow- the pair prepared for the worst. Korra had been transported from outside the motel to the hospital where the medical staff had almost refused to operate on her because of their clear ties to the triads. Asami’s tear-filled pleading and begging were enough to move the lead surgeon to scrub in and help Korra, the last 4 hours of the group waiting for the results of the operation had been pure torture- even Kuvira had shared some glances of empathy and regret.

“It was touch and go for a moment, she lost a lot of blood-” The surgeon spoke and the grip Asami had on Opal’s hand tightened.

“-She actually coded, but we applied resuscitative efforts and Korra responded well, the rest of the operation went with fear, but without fail. We removed the bullet and repaired the residual damage to her abdomen, she’s alive, but heavily sedated, we imagine she won’t wake for about 2 days,” The surgeon finished and managed a small smile, Asami engulfed Opal in a hug while turning towards the group waiting anxiously in the waiting room.

Opal gave the group a thumbs-up as they all exchanged hugs and sighs of relief, Asami faced the doctor once more, “Thank you,” her voice nearly whispered.

He bowed his head and nodded, “Of course,” he smiled back.

“You’re welcome to visit her, I can get a nurse to lead you guys back to her room,”

Then the group moved behind the nurse, Asami and Opal in front as they were allowed into Korra’s room and they each collectively sighed. Korra was laid out on the bed, eyes closed and looking peaceful. Asami immediately took the chair next to her, holding her warm hand and peering at the woman. Asami’s concussion hadn’t lessened at all and Opal had been the one trying to get the woman to sit down and relax, but her anxiety had been through the roof, even if Asami sat she wasn’t sure if it was possible for her to relax.

Mako strayed near the doorway to the room as Kuvira walked towards the other side of the bed, looking down at her friend.

“Korra- I-” Kuvira spoke, her throat caught in the midst of tears that fell.

The rest of the group stayed silent as Kuvira was caught in a rare moment of her emotions.

“I’m sorry, I need to work on me and my issues. I can’t fault you for finding happiness and seeking it out- I’ve just been in the dark for _so long_ , I’d never want you or Bolin to leave me-” Kuvira gasped and held Korra’s other hand.

“I can’t be alone again- but, trying to get you _killed?_ I’ll never forgive myself for such a thing,”

“You know, she’d want you to Kuvira,” Asami spoke and watched the woman’s green eyes shimmer with fresh tears as their gazes locked. 

“I know Korra, she’ll be angry for a moment, but she’ll come around and offer you her forgiveness and she’d want you to forgive yourself in turn,” Asami spoke softly as Kuvira felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked back and saw Bolin’s teary-eyed gaze.

“It’s true, she almost died Kuv- she’ll disregard any pettiness surrounding the gangs and focus on what matters to her- and _you’re_ one of those things,” Kuvira sighed shakily and let herself lean into Bolin’s touch, the man wrapping his arms around her for a tight embrace as she finally let herself break down and cry.

“And you’ll never be alone again Kuv- we’ll make sure of that,” Bolin murmured in Kuvira’s ear which caused the one to cling to him harder as more tears continued to fall.

Asami stayed both nights in the hospital. Opal, Mako, Kuvira, and Bolin each taking turns to give the woman medicine for her concussion and watching Korra just in case the woman awoke. The entire group was bumbling into the room on the third day of Korra’s rest when they saw Asami asleep in the chair, Kuvira’s eyes caught the stress marks on Korra’s forehead and the twitching in her fingers.

“Guys…?” She asked and Opal quickly made her way to Asami’s side in the fold-out chair to wake her.

Korra stirred some more before her eyelids peeled apart. Bolin was pressing the nurses’ call button on her bed just as Asami woke up as well to Opal shaking her softly.

“Hey, she’s waking up,” Opal called out just Asami became more alert, her head turning to see Korra’s eyes open and her scanning the room.

Bolin, who was still eased on the bed, grabbed one of Korra’s hands and he squeezed the extremity.

“Hey idiot, how do you feel?” His voice was warm and encouraging, and Korra cracked a wry grin.

“Like I got shot,” Korra’s voice was raspy from the over 48 hours she had been asleep and the group relished in the comment, sharing laughter and relieved that Korra’s personality hadn’t been affected by the near-death experience.

The nurses finally made it into the room, the pair each greeting Korra and happy to see her awake.

Asami’s hand moved from her chair to grip her girlfriend’s as Korra’s head lulled to the side and gave her a lopsided grin.

“Hey pretty lady,” Korra murmured to Asami who blushed and ran her thumb over Korra’s knuckles.

The nurses finished with Korra’s vitals and told them they’d let the doctor in shortly as Asami’s gaze turned serious.

“Don’t you _ever_ scare me like that again? Okay?” Asami’s voice shook slightly as she spoke and she felt Opal’s hands of comfort slide to her shoulders.

Korra nodded, understanding, “Deal-” she paused and locked eyes with Kuvira, “Hey, can Kuv and I have the room? Just for a quick moment,”

Kuvira’s eyes looked anyway but Korra’s when Opal finally dragged Asami out of the room, Bolin and Mako waiting in the hallway as soon as Korra requested the isolation.

“Kuvira listen- I for-”

“You forgive me,” Kuvira finished for the woman whose eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

“Asami and Bolin gave me some insight into you- those two really know you,” Kuvira added, and Korra’s confused expression softened.

“Yes, they do- and they’re right, I forgive you, I almost died and a vendetta against you won’t do anyone any good,” Korra quieted afterward and Kuvira nodded.

“Agreed, and it’s why I have to forgive myself as well, even though I feel awful, I know hating myself won’t do me any good, especially if I want to heal,” Kuvira sat on the edge of the bed.

“I have been angry so long and there are many reasons, but it comes down to the fact that I wasn’t ready for you or Bolin to leave me,” Kuvira sucked in a deep breath and Korra reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Red Monsoon is all I have, you and Bolin are all I have, and seeing you move and on and be so happy, it made me scared that you’d forget about me as well,” Kuvira’s voice trailed and she felt Korra’s thumb smoothing over her knuckles.

“It’s _not_ all you have Kuv-” Korra shook her head, “-we’re going to be together for as long as we live Kuv- you know that- Bolin and I would _never_ leave you,” Korra spoke with finality as Kuvira sighed, the words still surprising her.

Korra sat up in the bed with a wince and thanked Kuvira once the woman helped her.

“It’s not just us either- Opal, Mako, _and_ Asami all have your back as well,” Korra felt Kuvira’s grip tightened before it slackened, it was clear it was going to take a while for the conditioning for Kuvira to hate the Triple Threats to go away, but Korra knew that it’d just take time.

A comfortable silence fell between the two of them and Korra let out a sigh with a small smile.

“You know I’m done right? With the triads? Asami and I both, this was it for us,” Korra spoke and locked eyes with Kuvira, who gave her a genuine smile before nodding.

“I know and I couldn’t be happier for you two,”

The two shared a grin and a hug, Kuvira being careful not to press too hard on Korra’s wound.

They pulled away and Korra nodded towards the door, “Now, let the rest of them in so I can inform them of Asami and myself’s retirement plans,” Korra grinned and Kuvira laughed.

Korra watched as Kuvira stood, feeling an overwhelming sensation of an emotion she hadn’t felt in so long. Something Korra didn’t think she’d be capable of, something she blocked off a long time ago in order to ensure her survival.

Korra hoped and she knew that it’d take her a long way.

~~~~~

_3 Months Later_

“Smells delicious baby, Bolin was a Raava-sent when he gave you the recipe for the lasagna,”

Korra felt the arms of Asami’s snake around her waist in their shared apartment, she leaned back into the touch, the love in her heart almost overwhelming every time Asami embraced her in such a manner.

“Right? It’s so yummy,” Korra concurred as Asami placed a kiss on her neck and continued to set the table for the pair.

In the months since leaving the Red Monsoon triad and the Triple Threats, Asami and Korra stayed in Republic City. They each had corresponding protection from their respective gangs, but the pair had moved far away from the epicenter of either territory for each triad. Asami had gotten a job as a car mechanic and Korra had begun teaching self-defense courses in women’s shelters in the city. It was a simple life, but it was theirs, and they couldn’t be happier.

Korra brought the pan of lasagna over towards Asami who had sat at the table, she served a piece to Asami then one for herself, setting the pan of food in the center of the table as Korra eased into her seat across from Asami. Korra’s gunshot wound was still healing, which hindered her from being as hands-on as she wanted during her job, but she took each day one step at a time, happy to have the peace she felt in her day-to-day life in general.

Asami popped the cork off the red wine at the table and poured a glass for her and Korra, Korra thanking her girlfriend before sipping at the beverage.

“You know, Bolin’s looking for a place near us out here,” Korra spoke as they ate and Asami gave Korra a look across the table.

The man had packed his bags from the Red Monsoon a month after Korra had left.

“Him and Kuvira actually,” Korra added and laughed when Asami’s fork clattered on the plate.

“Kuvira? You mean, she’s out, like out _out_?” Asami asked, incredulous as Korra shrugged.

“Seems that way,” Korra took another bite of the lasagna as Asami hummed.

“Opal’s out too- which only leaves-”

“-Mako,” Korra finished for Asami, the woman groaning at the mention of his name, Korra knowing all about the man’s denseness.

They each ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, before Asami cleared her throat again.

“Do you think he’ll leave?” Korra looked up at her girlfriend, Asami’s question hanging in the air.

She took a moment to wipe her mouth with a napkin before sighing, “Hard to say, streets are all he’s known, he might not _want_ to leave,” Korra spoke and Asami hummed again.

“Yeah, but Bolin is out, that should be all the reason for him to leave,” Asami commented and Korra took the last bites of her first serving of the lasagna before shrugging once again.

“It _should_ be babe, you’re absolutely right- but this is Mako we’re talking about? Remember?” Korra scoffed as she spoke and Asami sighed and shook her head.

“That skull of his is too thick for his own good,” Asami mumbled out and Korra hummed in agreement. 

Korra reached across the table and took Asami’s hand, “Hey, I’ll talk to Bolin about it once he and Kuv find a place out here? Okay?” her voice was soft as Asami nodded.

The two stared at each other with a smile, Korra pulled her hand and pointed at the lasagna, “Seconds?”

Asami grinned and laughed, “I thought you’d never ask baby-”

Korra chuckled and scooped out another serving for the woman, their eyes locking once more.

“I love you,” Korra spoke and she saw the words hit Asami, the woman’s eyes glimmering in the low lighting of their apartment.

“I love you too,” Asami responded in kind and held out her plate as Korra placed the food on top of it.

Those words rang true, it was enough for the pair, for their tomorrow, their next month, and the many years to come between the two of them. As long as they had each other, Asami and Korra knew they’d make it.

~Fin~

**Author's Note:**

> There it goes! Alright, once more a huge thanks to saint_dior for helping with this story, once again, I was merely a diligent stenographer to their ideas and I hope I articulated them well enough for everyone to enjoy it!
> 
> Follow my socials! (I'm funny and nice, I promise)  
> Twitter: @XUncreativityX  
> TikTok: @kamelisdumb
> 
> I've got ideas for part 3 of the "Telescoping" series running around in my little head, so we'll see where that goes, but, I've got many more works to write, I've never gained traction for my writing this quickly, and I want to take another moment to thank every single person who's read, commented, or gave kudos to my story. It truly feels like a dream for my writing to be people's escape and I hope to be around on Ao3 for a very long time and to continue to be a place of joy for anyone who stumbles upon my work. Thank you all so much!
> 
> I'll see you guys in whatever I write next but until then...
> 
> Catch ya later! xx


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